The Minnesota Twins firmed up their roster, agreeing to sign Gold Glove-winning outfielder Harrison Bader to a one-year contract with a mutual option on Wednesday.
The deal is worth $6.25 million guaranteed plus up to $2 million in performance bonuses, according to major-league sources.
One day after landing lefty reliever Danny Coulombe, the Twins added the speedy veteran center fielder to fill the void in the outfield created by Max Kepler’s departure earlier this winter.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman first reported the deal, which is pending a physical, according to team sources.
Bader, 30, batted .236/.284/..373 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs in 437 plate appearances for the New York Mets last season.
He produced 1.3 WAR, according to FanGraphs, even though he was valued as having minus-two Defensive Runs Saved in 2024. For his career, Bader is a plus-40 DRS defender in center, which gives the Twins plenty of insurance if Byron Buxton needs time off. Bader won the National League Gold Glove in center field with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021.
Bader has played all three outfield spots, though he’s strictly been a center fielder since the start of the 2019 season. He fits nicely with the Twins, who entered the season with only Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner as primary outfielders after Kepler signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the past, the team has also relied on utilitymen Willi Castro and Austin Martin to play outfield. But the Twins were best positioned two seasons ago when defensive standout Michael A. Taylor was on the roster as Buxton insurance.
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